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In the pantheon of 1990s rock, few albums arrived with as much baggage—and left with as much brilliance—as Stone Temple Pilots’ Purple. Released in 1994, at the absolute peak of the grunge explosion, it was the album that silenced the doubters who had dismissed the band as mere Pearl Jam copycats riding the coattails of Core.
Nearly three decades later, the Purple: Super Deluxe Edition offers a forensic deep dive into the making of a masterpiece. It is a sprawling, 3-CD set that doesn’t just remaster the hits; it pulls back the curtain on the chaotic, creative friction that defined STP at their peak.
Purple was the sound of a band refusing to be a grunge casualty. The Super Deluxe Edition proves that STP’s second album wasn't a follow-up—it was a re-up. Weiland’s lyrics (alienation, addiction, transcendence) feel prophetic. The DeLeo brothers’ riffs sound tectonic. And the whole thing, warts and all, stands as one of the great American rock records of the ‘90s.
Rating: ★★★★½ (Essential for ‘90s rock collectors)
Pre-order includes: Exclusive 7-inch of "Interstate Love Song" (live from MTV Unplugged 1993 – previously unreleased).
Stone Temple Pilots - Purple (Super Deluxe Edition) is a definitive 25th-anniversary celebration of the band's 1994 sophomore masterpiece. Released through Rhino Entertainment
in 2019, this expansive collection serves as a deep dive into the era when STP moved beyond their "grunge" roots to embrace a more psychedelic, bluesy, and melodic rock identity. Comprehensive Package Contents The Super Deluxe Edition is a 3-CD/1-LP set that includes the following:
We got some Stone Temple Pilots in! Core - $30 MTV Unplugged 1993
Title: The Purple Haze: How Stone Temple Pilots Conquered the Sophomore Slump
The Setup: The Weight of Expectation
In the spring of 1992, Stone Temple Pilots were arguably the most reviled band in rock and roll. Their debut album, Core, had sold millions, but critics dismissed them as little more than Pearl Jam copycats—corporate rock opportunists riding the flannel-clad coattails of the Seattle grunge explosion. Frontman Scott Weiland was mocked for his baritone growl; guitarist Dean DeLeo was accused of mimicking Jimmy Page and Kim Thayil.
But as the band entered the studio in early 1994 to record their follow-up, they had a secret weapon: they didn't care what the critics thought. They weren't trying to make a grunge record. They were trying to make a classic rock record.
The Shift: From "Core" to "Purple"
Where Core was heavy, dark, and sludgy, the band envisioned something brighter, weirder, and more melodic. They enlisted producer Brendan O’Brien, who pushed them to strip away the doom-and-gloom aesthetic. They wanted to sound like The Beatles meets Led Zeppelin, filtered through a modern alternative lens.
The sessions were prolific and frantic. Weiland, already battling the demons that would eventually consume him, was in a state of chaotic creative flux. The band—brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo on guitar and bass, and the unstoppably precise Eric Kretz on drums—were firing on all cylinders.
The result was Purple. Released in June 1994, it debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, knocking the Lion King soundtrack off the top spot. It was a commercial behemoth, but artistically, it was a grenade thrown at the music press.
The Sound: A Technicolor Dream
Opening with the feedback swell of "Meatplow," Purple immediately signaled a shift. But then came "Vasoline"—a jagged, staccato riff masterpiece that proved the band could be technical and gritty simultaneously.
Then, the hits. "Interstate Love Song" became the band’s defining anthem. With its sweeping, country-tinged slide guitar and weary lyrics about burnout and betrayal, it captured the exhaustion of a band that had toured the world and lost themselves in the process. It sounded like a classic rock standard the moment it hit the airwaves.
Elsewhere, the band stretched out. "Big Empty" (featured in the film The Crow) oozed cinematic cool. "Still Remains" offered a lush, romantic melody that flew in the face of the "angry young men" trope of the era. And buried at the end was "Kitchenware & Candybars," a gorgeous ballad that devolved into a hidden track of lounge-singer parody, showing a sense of humor that their peers lacked.
Critics who had derided them as hacks suddenly had to reckon with a band that could write better hooks than almost anyone in the genre. Purple wasn't just a grunge album; it was a psych-rock, hard rock, and pop hybrid.
The Legacy: The Super Deluxe Edition
Decades later, Purple stands as the band’s masterpiece. It represents the moment the "sophomore slump" was not just avoided, but obliterated. It is the sound of a band stepping out of the shadows and claiming their own identity.
To honor this era, the Super Deluxe Remastered Edition offers a treasure trove for audiophiles and historians. It strips back the layers of time to reveal the raw power of the original recordings.
The remastering process brings a new clarity to O'Brien's production. The low end on "Meatplow" hits harder; the acoustic guitars on "Interstate Love Song" shimmer with newfound resonance. But the true value lies in the unreleased material.
Listeners are treated to early demo versions, revealing the skeletons of these anthems before the studio gloss was applied. We hear the band in their rawest form—practicing, experimenting, capturing the lightning in a bottle that was their creative peak. Live tracks from the era capture the combustible energy of Weiland at the height of his power, a magnetic frontman commanding a stadium crowd before the drugs took the wheel. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple -Super Deluxe- Rem...
The Conclusion
Purple was the album that proved Stone Temple Pilots were more than just a product of their time. They were students of rock history who wrote a textbook of their own. The Super Deluxe Edition doesn't just remind us of the hits; it reminds us of the danger, the talent, and the tragedy of a band that burned incredibly bright. It is the definitive document of 1994, the year STP stopped asking for permission and started demanding respect.
Stone Temple Pilots - Purple: Super Deluxe Edition is a comprehensive 2019 reissue celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band’s second studio album. This expanded collection includes a newly remastered version of the original album plus several discs of rare and previously unreleased material. www.rhino.com Core Components The Super Deluxe set typically consists of 3 CDs and 1 LP (180-gram vinyl). Rolling Stone Disc 1 (Original Album Remastered):
Features iconic hits like "Interstate Love Song," "Vasoline," and "Big Empty". Disc 2 (Demos & Acoustic):
Contains unreleased early versions and demos for tracks like "Unglued" and "Army Ants". A standout is a previously unreleased demo cover of The Beach Boys' "She Knows Me Too Well" Disc 3 (Live Recording):
A full, previously unreleased 17-song concert recorded on August 23, 1994, at the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Bonus 7-inch Vinyl:
Some limited-edition bundles (restricted to 1,000 copies) included a replica 7-inch single of "Interstate Love Song" www.rhino.com Notable Highlights
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of their sophomore masterpiece, Stone Temple Pilots released the Purple: Super Deluxe Edition. This expansive 3-CD/1-LP set offers a deep dive into the 1994 album that solidified STP's place in rock history, featuring a newly remastered version of the original record alongside a treasure trove of unreleased material. What’s Inside the Super Deluxe Edition
The collection is housed in a rigid, foil-finished hardback book case and includes:
Disc 1 (CD & Vinyl): The original album remastered in 2019 by Brendan O'Brien, featuring hits like "Interstate Love Song," "Vasoline," and "Big Empty".
Disc 2: A collection of early versions, demos, and acoustic tracks. Highlights include a demo of the Beach Boys’ "She Knows Me Too Well," an acoustic version of "Big Empty," and the band's cover of Led Zeppelin’s "Dancing Days".
Disc 3: A previously unreleased, full concert recording from August 23, 1994, at New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This 17-song set captures the band at their peak, blending Purple tracks with Core favorites and covers of David Bowie’s "Andy Warhol" and Woody Guthrie’s "Gypsy Davy". Track Highlights & Rarities
For long-time fans, the second disc provides a unique look at the album's creative process. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple (Super Deluxe Edition)
Unreleased Demos: Raw versions of "Unglued," "Army Ants," and "Kitchenware & Candybars".
KROQ Acoustic Christmas 1994: Rare live acoustic recordings, including a version of the holiday classic "Christmastime Is Here".
Bonus Vinyl: Pre-orders through the official Stone Temple Pilots store included a limited-edition (1,000 copies) replica 7-inch single of "Interstate Love Song". Why It Matters
Purple was a massive success upon its original release, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and eventually going 6x Platinum. This reissue not only polishes the sound but also contextualizes the band's evolution from their grunge-heavy debut Core into more melodic, psychedelic, and country-influenced territories.
Collectors can find this edition at retailers like Amazon or specialized music sites like Elusive Disc. If you'd like, I can: Rank the bonus tracks based on fan favorites
Detail the differences between the Super Deluxe and the standard 2-CD Deluxe versions
Provide a list of upcoming tour dates for the current lineup
To understand the value of this reissue, you have to remember the climate of 1994. The band was suing their record label; the critics were sharpening their knives; and the pressure to follow up the multi-platinum Core was suffocating.
The Super Deluxe Edition captures this tension perfectly. The newly remastered version of the original album crackles with an energy that previous CD releases struggled to capture. Tracks like "Meatplow" and "Lounge Fly" feel heavier, sludgier, and more ominous. But the true revelation is the clarity of the acoustic strata. The separation in "Interstate Love Song" allows you to hear the subtle acoustic guitar layering that gave the track its panoramic, desert-highway scope.
Purple (Super Deluxe Edition) is set for release on June 12, 2026. Pre-orders go live this Friday, with an exclusive “Purple Smoke” vinyl variant available only via the STP official webstore.
Tracklist (Original Album Remastered):
Stay tuned for our full review of the Atmos mix next week.
The core of the set is, of course, the album itself. Using high-resolution 192kHz/24-bit transfers from the original analog tapes, the remastering job repairs decades of compressed CD transfers. "Lounge Fly" sounds cavernous; "Silvergun Superman" hits with a martial urgency previously masked by tape hiss. For audiophiles, this is the definitive way to hear the album. Meatplow Vasoline Lounge Fly Interstate Love Song Still
Recorded at Ardent Studios during pre-production.